Fight the power

‘Black Panther’ is a watershed moment for Marvel

Ages ago, an alien meteorite loaded with vibranium crashed in Africa, permeating the land with its borderline magical properties. After gaining superpowers through the ritual ingestion of a vibranium-infused flower, the mystical leader Black Panther unites a quintuplet of ancient tribes to form the country of Wakanda.

Over a millennium, their society develops hyper-advanced technology that hides Wakanda’s futuristic mega-city capital in the guise of Third World Country while the tribes enjoy relative peace and prosperity—mainly because no one knows they, or the vibranium, are there. It’s kind of like the Amazonian-sisterhood home of Themyscira in “Wonder Woman.”

The Wakandans save all the vibranium for themselves, rationalizing that vibranium in the wrong hands is a danger to the outside world and that whitey is as big a danger to them.

We meet the latest in the lineage, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), who upon his father’s death returns to Wakanda to assume the throne and become his people’s protector, known as Black Panther. But between kill-crazy international mercenary Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), who has stolen a cache of the interstellar metal, and unrest at home upon the arrival of Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), T’Challa’s reign seems destined to be short-lived.

The importance of “Black Panther” bears a few similarities to that of “Wonder Woman.” Competing publishers and movie studios aside, both films created watershed moments in terms of what might come next for female and black filmmakers. The millions they made for studios validated their tacit shift towards cultural diversity in a risk-averse business largely dominated by white dudes who aren’t much interested in making films that feel particularly different.

The reason “Black Panther” feels different from the bulk of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has less to do with standard-issue Marvel action (though that has its moments) than it does with its writer and director, Ryan Coogler. His first two films, “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed”—both amazing, and both starring Jordan—are small, emotional films that highlight Coogler’s deftness with character and performance and his ability to wring every bit of authenticity out of a role and its actor. Most importantly, he makes you feel like you’re standing right next to them.

In applying those talents to “Black Panther,” Coogler crafts a drama of Afrocentric royalty that’s worthy of Shakespeare, delivered on a great, often funny script (co-written with Joe Robert Cole), and electric performances from Boseman, Jordan, and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, a fierce warrior whose cohort of wonder women make for one badass Pretorian guard.

“Black Panther” is still a Marvel movie on the surface—just one you’ve never seen before.